Traditionally, meats such as beef, veal, pork, lamb, fowl and wild game have had seasonings added to them, both before and during cooking, in order to enhance and improve their flavor. In particular, spices, herbs and vegetables have long been used in the culinary arts to flavor meats by sprinkling such flavoring agents over the top of the meat both before and during cooking. Unfortunately, while the outer surface of the meat may be flavored in this way, these seasonings often do not penetrate into the meat sufficiently to produce a desired uniform effect throughout.
Consequently, many devices and techniques have been introduced over the years for placing such seasonings into the interior of meats both before and during cooking. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,116,310, issued on May 3, 1938, to Holman Harvey; 2,212,477, issued on Aug. 20, 1940, to Herman J. Mayer; 2,489,556, issued on Nov. 29, 1949, to Harry D. Blake; 4,178,660, issued on Dec. 18, 1979, to Alvin A. Olney et al.; 4,294,168, issued on Oct. 13, 1981, to Walden K. Redhead; and 4,414,885, issued on Nov. 15, 1983, to Harry C. Kelly.
Unfortunately, none of the seasoning devices and techniques developed to date is completely satisfactory. Some of these known devices are not effective enough during use; others can be inconvenient to use, particularly in a non-commercial setting.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,116,310, issued to Harvey, small pieces of meat are skewered with a small stick. This stick may be steeped in a flavoring solution before being inserted into the meat, whereby the flavor will flow into the meat during cooking. Alternatively, the stick may be provided with small openings or slots along its length for receiving solid particles of salt, pepper, or other flavoring substances. These solid particles of flavoring substances are intended to be carried into the interior of the meat as the stick is inserted into the pieces of meat, whereupon they will flow into the meat during cooking.
Unfortunately, devices such as the one taught by Harvey often prove inadequate for a number of reasons. For one thing, where the stick is steeped in a flavoring solution, inadequate quantities of the flavoring substances may be delivered to the meat. For another thing, where solid particles of flavoring substances are disposed in small openings or slots in the stick, the solid particles of flavoring substances may be scraped out of the small openings or slots during the insertion procedure. This can also result in inadequate quantities of the flavoring substances being delivered to the interior of the meat.
As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,168, issued to Redhead, teaches the use of an elongate, heat conductive shaft having a spiral groove running along its length. This groove comprises internal top and bottom support areas that are adapted to hold and dispense chemicals into an object, including dispensing flavoring substances into food. More particularly, Redhead's device is intended to be inserted into and through the food item, and relies upon the particular configuration of the spiral groove to protect the flavoring substances against displacement during insertion.
Unfortunately, Redhead's spiral groove can be difficult to fabricate with certain types of shafts (e.g., wooden shafts), and it can be difficult to fill with the desired flavoring substances.
As a result, there has existed a long felt need for an improved apparatus and method for flavoring foods (and in particular meats) which ensure the proper placement of seasonings or tenderizers substantially within the interior of meat prior to, and during, cooking, and which are easily used by the amateur chef.